Bears are giant animals found throughout forests and Tundra. They are respected as well as feared by the people. Everyone is fascinated and wishes to see bears, and we generally find them in zoos. Here are some of the bear species and subspecies found worldwide.
Bear Species and Subspecies
1. Brown bear
Brown bear is as tall as 48 to 83 inches and weighs 100 to 355 kg. It is largely brown, black, and white and found in caves, mountains, forests, and woods of Russia, Spain, Italy, Austria, Northern Eurasia, and France. It has a life expectancy of 20 to 30 years. Generally, it has a round head and small rounded ears. Overall it is a giant and powerful bear with big paws and claws. Brown bear is an omnivore animal feeding on berries, fruits, plants, deer, fish, sheep, grasses, and nuts.
Image Source: Wikipedia
2. Polar bear
A polar bear can grow as long as 5 to 10 feet and weighs 330 to 1500 lb. it is white to yellowish and found in Tundra and areas around Arctic Circle in Greenland, and Hudson bay. It has a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. The polar bear is an apex predator among all bears as its face is longer and narrower than normal bears. It has short ears and short tails and a double layer of fur helps it to keep warm in snow-covered areas. Polar bear nourishes seals, birds, etc.
3. Sun bear
Sun bear grows as tall as 5 feet and weigh 27 to 68 kg. It is found in Tropical forests and lowlands of Southern China, Indonesia, and Eastern India. It has a life expectancy of 15 to 25 years. it is one of the smallest species of bear and is dark black to grayish-black in color. It is identified by a horseshoe that is present on the chest and is golden or orange. The thick layer of black fur serves as a protective cover in harsh conditions. It is also an omnivore bear and consumes both plants and animals like fruits, seeds, insects, bees, termites, etc.
Also read: Top 10 Endangered Animals In The World 2022
Image Source: Tambako The Jaguar
3. Sloth bear
Sloth bear can grow as long as 5 to 6 feet and weighs around 200-300 lb. It is found in tropical grasslands and forests of India and Sri Lanka and has a life expectancy of about 20-40 years. Sometimes, sloth bears defend themselves from tigers in tricky situations. It has a thick black fur coat to protect it from insects. It has wide nostrils, and elongated snouts and the chest has a y or v-shaped white patch. It has a relatively large and movable tongue to eat its prey. Though aggressive, it is a cute and adorable bear. It feeds on termites, ants, grubs, beetles, fruits, flowers, honey, and insects.
Image Source: Wikimedia
4. American Black bear
American Black Bear can grow as tall as 60 to 84 inches and weigh 40 to 299 kg. it is found in the woods and rainforests of Alaska, British Columbia, Northern America, and national parks. It is generally black, grey, brown, cinnamon, or white with a life expectancy of 25-30 years. It has a thick, black fur coat, round eyes that are blue, large body with a short tail. Despite its name, it is not necessary that they are black. It looks very cute and adorable from distance but is dangerous when approached. It has an omnivore diet feeding on roots, leaves, fish, insects, grasses, and plants.
Image Source: ucumari photography
5. Giant panda
The giant panda can grow as tall as 3 to 6 feet and weighs 200 to 300 lb with a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. It has a large black and white body with a white face, black eye patches, ears, legs, and shoulders. It is found in fragmented mountain ranges in central and southern central China. Its black and white markings distinguish it from other bears. Its thick wooly coat keeps it warm in harsh conditions. Its unique body color and round body make it cute and adorable. It is a herbivore animal and usually nourishes leaves, stems, and bamboo.
6. Cinnamon bear
Cinnamon bear can grow around 3 feet tall and weighs 91 to 272 kg. It is found in the lowlands and mountains of North America with a life expectancy of 30 years. It is the subspecies of black bears and is known as a cinnamon bear because of its thick coat of reddish brown fur. It is generally black, brown, cinnamon, and white. It nourishes sticks, roots, berries, plants, insects, and bees.
Image Source: Wikimedia
7. Asiatic Black bear
Asiatic black bear can grow as tall as 60 to 66 inches and weighs 90 to 180 kg. It is found in the grass plains and tundra of China, India, Japan, Eurasia, and Pakistan. It is a medium-sized black bear also known as a moon bear and has a life span of 25 years. Its thick fur is black, round head, with long snouts. It can be easily distinguished by a crescent-shaped white patch of fur on its chest. Its short tail gets hidden in a thick fur coat and does not look very cute and can attack as well. It is omnivores bear feeding on both vegetables and meat like insects, fruits, berries, birds, etc.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Grizzly bear
A grizzly bear can grow as tall as 8 feet and weighs 132 to 358 kg. it is black and dark brown and found in forests and mountain ranges of North America. It has a life expectancy of 15 to 25 years. The grizzly bear has a large head, round ears, a big face, and a very small tail. It is known for its muscular hump present on the upper back. Its hump provides it strength while digging. It is extremely powerful and has excellent memory. It is an omnivore animal having 42 teeth feeding on plants, berries, fishes, and birds.
10. Kodiak bear
The Kodiak bear is the world’s largest bear growing 10 feet tall and weighing 600 to 1500 pounds. It is blonde to dark brown and found in the islands of Kodiak, Archipelago, in Alaska. A thick fur coat covers its entire body and enables it to live in a harsh environment. It is the largest subspecies of a brown bear feeding on species, fruits, nuts, and small animals.
These are the types of bear species and subspecies in the world. Kindly share and do post your comments.
